A Long Journey
by Discord
Summary: New chapter, finally. Kurt meets somebody who takes him on a journey of self-discovery.
1. Meetings and Tribulations

A Long Journey

Disclaimers are for weenies!

My first venture into the X-Men: Evolution genre.I hope I survive!…

I'm not German.Fake Kurt's accent.

**A Long Journey**

"She's a skank, Kurt."

"But she's not your average skank!"Kurt spread his hands defensively.He stared dreamily at the topic of his and Scott's discussion."It's like she's not trying to be a skank, it's just how she is."

Scott looked at him skeptically.

"Oh, come on.You've got to admit it, she's pretty."

Scott leaned his chin onto his hand, his eyes taking on the same glazed quality that Kurt's had already achieved."That she is.Very pretty, actually.Incredibly - - "

Jean sat down across from Scott.He jumped and his eyes refocused."Wow, now _there's_ beauty," he remarked.Jean smiled at him.

Kurt made a disgusted noise and looked down at the cafeteria food."Weak excuse for fries," he muttered.

Evan plopped down noisily next to him."So how about that new girl, huh?" He asked through a mouthful of burger, wasting no time in chowing down.

Kurt tilted his head to the side."She's, uh - -"

"Skinny," Jean interrupted, breaking off her conversation with Scott."Painfully skinny."

"She's not skinny, just… slender."

Evan stared at Kurt."You've got it bad."

"V-vas?"Kurt stuttered, taking off-guard.

"You're crushing on her, dude!"Evan elbowed the teenager in the side, grinning impishly.

Kurt shoved his elbow away."Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Yeah?"Evan folded his arms across his chest."Then who do you have a crush on?"

Kurt looked around for a moment, searching, before snatching his plate and holding it up."This… burger!It's… Uh.She's beautiful, smells good, aaaand…"

"And you're gonna eat her out, right?"Evan grinned again, widely.

"Evan!"Jean playfully slapped his arm."Talking about Kurt's girlfriend in such ways."

"The burger?My girlfriend?"Kurt stared at the brown-haired girl as she poked her food with a distasteful expression."Nope, I'm single."

"Kurt."Scott yanked on his ear suddenly."Stay away from her.I heard that she smokes."

"Like… cigarettes?"Jean inquired.

"No, I mean weed."Scott tugged on Kurt's ear again."I mean it, blue boy."

"Aww."Kurt pushed Scott's hand away."You're not my father.Besides, I'm sure that she's perfectly friendly.See, watch."

Under the stares from his friends, Kurt stood and made his way over to where the object of their conversation was seated.She had finished prodding the edibles and was staring at the pages of a book intensely.Kurt placed his tray down across from her.It clattered loudly.

The girl jumped.She slowly looked up at the source of the disturbance with an approaching-homicidal expression on her face.She spoke quietly in an evenly controlled tone."Can I _help_ you?"

Kurt was taken aback, but persisted.He raised one hand and waved it a little."Hi!I'm Kurt Wagner.I just wanted to say--"

"--hi?" She finished for him sharply."That you thought that maybe, oh _maybe_, we could be _friends_?"She snapped her book closed and picked up her tray.Her gray-green eyes flashed."Leave me a lone, Kurt Wagner.You won't regret it."

With that, she stalked off, leaving Kurt and her book lying on the table.

Evan, Scott, and Jean ambled over.Evan was laughing his head off.

Kurt shook himself out of his shock.He pretended to feel the air with his hands."Whoa, palpable animosity!"

"I know, dude.You could probably cut it with a knife!"

Scott snickered, plopping down next to Kurt."That went well."

"Yeah, well…" Kurt idly picked up the book that the girl had errantly left."I'd better return this to her before she thinks I stole it and eats me alive."

What?You think that self-discovery takes one chapter?Dream on, you'll be seeing more of me. 

::watches you all run in fear::


	2. Insults and Aquaintances

A Long Journey - Part 2

I'm not creative enough to write a disclaimer.Go see somebody else's.They're for weenies anyway, as earlier stated. 

Yeah, I know."Another chapter _already_?"Truth is, I was bored, deathly so, and I already had a start on it.So DEAL.Heh heh.

Travis Blink- Don't worry, I actually planned this character out (for once).I even made a character sketch (no, not a drawing ;) You wanna see it?).She will _not_ be a Mary Sue.Not by any natural means, anyway.Supernatural means, such as tornadoes, dragons, and cannibalistic headphones, are excluded.

**A Long Journey**

**Chapter 2**

Kurt nerved himself for what could potentially be a damaging confrontation.The girl was kneeling, packing her bookbag for her next class, right down the hallway.

Kurt took a long breath and approached her.She was oblivious of his presence until he spoke."Uh, I think you left this--"

She started before he stopped, overlapping his words with hers."I thought I told you to keep away from me."She finished packing and stood, turning to face him.

If his hologram hadn't been active, his blush would have turned him an interesting shade of purple.He stuttered nervously, looking at his feet and fumbling with the book in his hands."Uh, ja, I know.It's just, erm, your book--" he glanced at the cover, "Night, you, uh, left it--"

"Night?You found it?"She snatched the slim volume from his hands, glancing at it and then at him.Calculating.

Before they could say anything, the bell rang.Its angry sounds bounced off the walls and burrowed into the minds of the students still in the hallways.The girl spun around, heading for her next class.Kurt found himself following her all the way to his next class.She slouched to the back of the English room.As soon as she sat, the teacher announced, "We have a new student today.With us.With us, today."

There was a huge sigh from the back, followed by a clatter and then the girl walking up the aisle.

The teacher perched on the edge of an empty desk in the front row."Why don't you tell-- uh, tell, tell us about, tell us about yourself?"The teacher was Mrs. Russell.She resembled a nervous bird and tended to repeat things.

The girl plucked at the hem of her oversized sweatshirt."I'm Jane Murrin," she said in a monotone.

Silence.

"Well."Mrs Russell wrung her hands.Jane didn't even look at her."Tell-tell us, do you have any, any.Any hobbies? Do you have-have any hobbies?"She finished and smiled brightly, apparently pleased with herself.

"No."

The smile vanished.

"Well.Any-any-any hobbies? Any hobbies at-at all?"

"Well."Jean leaned her head into her hand, throwing her eyes skyward in a mockery of concentration."I like playing violent video games… You know, the kind where you shoot off the head, and it bounces around?"She glanced at the class, nodding, as if they knew exactly what she was talking about."I also like… kung-fu movies.Oh!One last thing."She suddenly lost her humor, her face becoming hard and her voice returning to a dry monotone."I also enjoy making fun of those who deserve it."Her eyes locked onto Kurt's.

A full moment passed.

"Right!"Mrs. Russell clapped her hands.Jane stalked back to her seat."Since- uh, since we're doing… We're doing a-a-a Shakespeare unit, a unit on Shakespeare.Let's start the, uh, start the, uh.Let's start the day with-with Shakespearean insults."As she spoke, she passed papers down each row."All you- All you do.All you do is choose one word from each-from each.Each column.Column."Mrs. Russell mouthed 'column' to herself quietly, then her face split into a grin."Jane!You can demonstrate with…" Her eyes scanned the room, her stutter becoming less evident as she relaxed."Kurt!Demonst- Demon- Demonstra- Demo-"

"Sure I'll do it, Mrs. Russell!" Kurt said loudly, standing up.

They stood across from each other at the front of the classroom.

Jane stared at the paper blankly."Thou…" She squinted and almost shrugged."Thou… artless…base-court… apple-john…?"She trailed off uncertainly while the class snickered at her half-hearted attempt.

Kurt puffed out his chest.He tried to speak with an English accent, but failed terribly."Thou… mammering weather-bitten clotpole!"

The semblance of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but she squashed it.Brushing a clump of hair out of her eyes, she scanned the sheet."Thou beslubbering bat-fowling foot-licker!"

The class burst into giggles.

"You wanna piece…" Kurt inspected the sheet for a moment before rising with a triumphant grin."Thou cockered common-kissing _bladder_!"

The class was roaring, Mrs. Russell was tittering, and Jane had an ear-to-ear smile on her face as she almost shouted, "Thou yeasty rump-fed **codpiece**!"

The class broke up at this, and Mrs. Russell waved her hands, trying to get peace.The two went back to their seats.Jane gave Kurt another calculating look, only this time, it was slightly warmer.

Kurt followed her to her locker after the period ended.He leaned against the locker, trying his best to not look triumphant."So… We're friends now?"

"Ooh, no, Kurt Wagner."Jane stood, slinging her bookbag over her shoulder."Insulting each other in English class doesn't make us friends."

Kurt's hopeful look dimmed, but he rekindled it swiftly."So… What does it make us?"

Jane looked at him closely, smirking and raising an eyebrow."It makes us _acquaintances_."She began to walk away.

Kurt, once again, found himself trailing her."So, do _acquaintances_ go out for pizza on Friday night?"

She downright laughed."You're quite a welcoming committee, Wagner."

Kurt shoved past other students to keep up with her."Is that a yes?"

"That's a 'I'll think about it and don't get your hopes up'," she called over her shoulder.

"Right!" was all he had time to say before the crowd swept them in opposite directions.

Kurt merely stood there, letting himself be buffeted by the other students before he realized that he didn't even know her number.

He muttered a curse and loped off to go back home, to the Xavier Institute.

Self-discovery is on the way; it is merely drunk and lost.Have no fear.


	3. Calls and Warnings

A Long Journey - Part 3

I actually own X-Men: Evolution.They're mine, every single one of them.Mwahahahahaha!

Thanks to all of you who reviewed, especially those who called me on a potential Mary Sue.I'm counting on you guys to tell me if that's what Jane turns into!… Although that _would _suck royally.

Rated PG-13 for some minor swearing.Better safe then sorry.

**A Long Journey**

**Part 3**

** **

Kurt held a two-fingered hand up to his mouth as he yawned.Lying on his bed, he rolled onto his back, quietly crushing his rather unsatisfactory geometry quiz.

The phone rang, and Kurt stifled another yawn.Probably one of Kitty's friends.They'd call to discuss an academic subject, and then the conversation would deteriorate into giggled whispers about guys.

Kurt rolled back onto his stomach. 'Women.'

A knock on his door made him jump."Ja?"He called.

Kitty's head phased through is door/"Like, phone for you."She phased back out.

Kurt stared for a moment, wondering what it must be like to be a normal teenager before picking up the phone."Hello?"

"Are you wearing a turtleneck?"

Kurt paused."…No?"

"Well, maybe it's to cover your--" The speaker halted and sighed."Dammit.I was never good at phone pranks."

Kurt suddenly recognized the voice and reigned in his delight."Jane!"

"Guilty."Jane's voice sounded tinny over the phone, but she still retained her natural, almost apathetic, monotone.

Kurt searched his mind for a witty response."Why did you call me?" He blurted out, mentally slapping himself.

Jane chuckled shortly at the awkwardness of Kurt's inquiry."Think I'm gonna suck your blood?"

"Uh, n-no.Why?"

"'Cause I've heard it from other people."

"Oh."Kurt felt himself smiling.

"Anyway.The reason I called is to take you up on the pizza offer."

Kurt almost coughed with surprise."Really?"

"Sure.It's not like I have anything--"

Somebody else in the Institute picked up the phone.Evan's voice filtered into their conversation."Hey, whoever's on the phone, I need to use it."

Jane breathed out slowly."Perhaps you should wait until the person using the phone is actually _done_ before demanding the appliance from them," she intoned coldly.

"Uh… Yeah, whatever."Evan sounded flustered before he hung up.

Jane snorted."Asshole."

Kurt panicked slightly."Uh, wh-what were you saying?"His voice had risen half an octave.

"Hmm." Jane paused for a moment, but ignored it."I was saying that I don't have anything else to do.My dad's going to be home really late anyway."

Kurt held the phone against his head with his shoulder, casting about for his holographic watch.He wrapped it around his wrist and buckled it into place.Nightcrawler's visage fizzled and disappeared, replaced with Kurt Wagner's."Cool.I'll see you at the Pizza Café in a half hour, ja?"

"Ja."Jane mimicked his accent."See you there."

"See you."

_Click_, and the conversation was over.

Kurt gave his hair a once-over with the brush.He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled wolfishly.He ported to the front door, snatching his coat.As an afterthought, he peeked into the library, seeing Scott."Scott, I'll be out at the Pizza Café."

"D'you need a ride?"Scott glanced up from his homework.

"Nah, I'll walk, thanks."Kurt started out, but was hailed back by Scott's voice.

"You're going all by yourself?"

Kurt puffed out his narrow chest, slightly proud."I'm meeting Jane there."

Scott grew serious."She's the one from the cafeteria?"

Kurt faltered."Ja."

Scot sighed."Kurt, she's not a nice person."

Kurt spread his hands."Ja, I know.It's refreshing," he added, smiling to let Scott know that he was joking.

Scott cracked a small grin."Go on, then."

Kurt quietly thanked any deity that may exist and ran out of the door, slipping into his coat.

"Just be careful!" Scott's words echoed after him, unheeded.


	4. Misfires and Miscalculations

I ate the disclaimer and mailed the fecal matter to WB

I ate the disclaimer and mailed the fecal matter to WB. They loved it.

Is anybody even reading this anymore?

::crickets chirp::

**A Long Journey**

**Part 4**

Kurt snatched a glance at his watch, leaning on one of the square brick pillars that adorned the outside of the Pizza Café.

"Took you long enough."Jane spooked him by laying her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm right on time!" Kurt protested.

Jane looked at her own watch, held it up to her ear, and shook it.Shrugging, she unbuckled the offending accessory from her wrist and dropped it into her pocket."Dead battery," she said, as way of explanation."Or maybe I was hit by lightning without realizing it."She scowled; apparently, Jane scowls after a joke instead of smiling.

"Ah."Kurt offered his arm as though he was an escort."Shall we?"

Jane looked at him wordlessly and quirked an eyebrow.She stuffed her hands into her pockets.

Kurt held the door for her, grinning widely.He hadn't really expected her to take his arm.

They were waiting for a table when Pietro wandered (rather swiftly) to where they were standing."Hey Wagner, who's your scary girlfriend?"

"Go to hell, Maximoff," Kurt shot him a scowl that could have rivaled Jane's.

The aforementioned "scary girlfriend" decided to take a more foreword approach.She put her face very close to Pietro's."Has anybody ever told you," she hissed, "that you look like a weasel?Maybe you're just too fast for people to tell you.Oh, but _maybe_," she snarled the last word, "you already know the truth, and you're fast because you don't want to hear anybody say it."

Pietro, for once without a flashy comeback, slunk back to where he came from.

Kurt grinned and congratulated her as they were being led to their table.He considered a moment before continuing."But… How did you know that Pietro was really fast?"

She expelled a breath noisily."That boy is weirdly fast.Saw him during gym class."She looked up at the waiter and made her order.Kurt followed suit.

The timbre of her voice changed to that of a teacher."You see, when you're insulting someone, you always try to turn their strengths into weaknesses.That way, the insult'll hit home.Also, people have a lot of faith in their strengths.So if you do it right, you can cause some lasting damage in their self-esteem and confidence."

"Is that so, Professor Murrin?"Kurt grinned a challenge at her."How would an expert insult me?"

She lifted an eyebrow in amusement."Well, you apparently have a lot of confidence in yourself, so first I'd cut you down with a generic, but colorful, insult."She took a sip of her Coke, then continued."Then I'd probably make fun of your accent, heritage, sense of humor, and appearance."She gave him her trademark half-smirk.

They continued in friendly banter until their pizza arrived.Jane almost smiled in ecstasy when she saw it.

"I don't understand anorexic people," she quipped, lifting a slice reverently.

A long string of cheese, glistening with grease, stretched from Jane's slice to the tray.It snapped, flying back to splat on Kurt's watch.

"Oh, shit," he breathed.

"Aw, shit," Jane echoed loudly.She put her hand out to him."If you give it to me, I'll try to… sponge it off or something."

Even as she reached for him, Kurt saw the image around him flicker and begin to turn off…! 


	5. Broadcasted Hate

Long Journey - 5

::looks at the number of reviewers, honestly pleased:: Wow, you guys are great.Thankies!^_^

I've just realized that all of my chapters are sort of retarded in the length department.My apologies, I write in a binder, so I've no idea how long or short they'll be on a computer.

I think I've made enough (bad) jokes about the disclaimer to last a while.

** **

** **

**A Long Journey**

**Part 5**

** **

Jane blinked for a moment at Kurt.For a moment, she thought she saw… But no.Her hand remained extended."Let me clean it off for you," she repeated, determined to right her wrong.

Kurt didn't hear her words in his terror.He stared at his hand, seeing static dance across three of his fingers.He stood abruptly, knocking over his chair in his haste."I-I've gotta go," he told Jane, and then almost sprinted out of the door.

Pietro, hearing opportunity knock, swiftly slid into the chair that Jane was seated in, putting his arm around her shoulders."When you gotta go, you gotta go, right?"He scooted closer to her, but she calmly plucked her drink from its resting place on the table and poured the entire thing into his lap.

The smell of brimstone was a belated announcement of Kurt's arrival at the Institute.He leaned against the doorframe, holding his mildly throbbing head. "I should probably keep it down to two miles," he muttered to himself.

Professor Xavier wheeled into the entrance hall with all intentions set on going to the library.He halted when he saw Kurt."Kurt, I thought you were out with Jane."His voice changed to a more sympathetic tone."Did it go badly?"

Kurt's "normal" image stopped fritzing and faded as he jabbed a button on the watch angrily.He shook his head wearily."Nein, professor.It was going well, until…" He looked wordlessly at his watch.It still bore the string of cheese.Kurt flicked it off, unbuckling the watch.

The professor took it from his hands, not inquiring further about Jane."I'll get this fixed," he said gently, and rolled away.

Kurt decided that the moment called for some good TV, and ported into the rec room.It was empty.'Everybody's probably out at a party or the arcade… or the pizza place,' he thought glumly.Flipping the television on revealed a news report.

The female reporter looked excited, and was obviously reigning in her agitation while she spoke."A mutant was found dead today in a south side alley."

Kurt promptly choked on the Twizzler that he had absently been gnawing on.He turned to the television.

The reporter continued."The mutant was obviously a victim of homicide.The police believe that it was a hit, organized by the mutant-hating branch of the KKK."The image on the screen shifted to show a fuzzy picture of a rally in a park."Formed about twenty years about, this group calls themselves 'The Originals'."

Kurt felt dread beginning to form in the pit of his stomach.

The screen now showed a man in a white, pointed hood.He spoke in an angry, frenzied voice."These goddamn mutants are everywhere.We don't know what they can do, and who they're going to kill first.They congregate, and they plot, and they scheme!"His voice deepened as he became calmer, but his words carried a cold, deadly edge."It is our jobs as real human beings to destroy the freaks before they can get a chokehold on our nation."

Kurt finally slammed his hand down on the remote, shutting the TV off.


	6. Shammed Equality

Filler

Eheh… Sorry for such a long wait… Tutoring took place over the summer.Wasn't that bad, but it certainly took up some time.After that ended, I cried a bit over Aaliyah, then I wrote another chapter.Tell me what you think… I have an idea of where to go with this, but feedback is always good.

Insert obligatory warning about heavy cussing here.

Heh.One last thing… I downloaded "Shadowed Past" from my Napster-lookalike.Does anybody know how to open up a movie player on a Windows computer?When I double click on the file itself, all I get is the sound from the episode, and no picture.

Enough of my computer troubles, on with the story.

Screw disclaimers.

A Long Journey

The phone cackled loudly, perhaps just to let everyone know that it as still there.A moment after it reluctantly silenced itself, Kurt got a telepathic message from Xavier.'Kurt, you've got a call.'

Kurt moaned to himself.Probably Jane.Well, he'd have to face the rap sometime.Picking up the phone, he readied himself as though he was about to get slapped."Hello?"

The line was silent for a moment, then Jane's voice was piped through the phone.IT was carefully controlled, but there was a fair amount of anger behind it."Oh, good.The way you _ran out on me_, I thought you might have died."

Kurt was sure that, had he licked the phone, he would have tasted the sarcasm dripping from it."Jane, listen, I—"

"How about you listen, asshole?"Jane's voice was now fraught with anger."I don't know why you skipped out on me like that, but I saw something that was _fucking_ strange.Unless you're an alien or a mutant or something-" She stopped abruptly.

Kurt let his head drop down, his chin cradling on his chest.

"That's it, isn't it?"Jane asked a moment later.She now sounded gentler, almost understanding."You're… You're a mutant, aren't you?"

Kurt's silence was obviously answer enough.

"You _are_," she breathed.

Kurt swallowed, nervous and unsure of what to do."J-Jane… I… Don't…"

"I won't tell anyone, I swear."She halted for a moment, apparently excited."God, I've never met a real _mutant_…"

Kurt exhaled, slightly annoyed."I'm not a museum exhibit."

For the first time, she sounded flustered."Well.Of course not, I… I didn't mean…" She trailed off.

Kurt sighed, baring his teeth in indecision."Mein Gott," he murmured under his breath.He raised his voice so Jane could hear him."Jane, you can't tell a soul.Don't even write it in your… your diary, or whatever."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."Kurt felt a little edgy about how she just brushed it off, but Jane continued."Can you meet me somewhere?Like… I dunno, the woods behind the pizza place?"

Kurt furrowed his brow, not for the first time irritated by his appearance."Jane, I can't, really.My watch-"

"A watch?"Jane sounded puzzled and slightly annoyed."You don't need a watch, I'll bring one.Just meet me behind the Pizza Café in five, alright?"

Kurt opened his mouth to tell her exactly _why_ he needed his watch, but she broke in with, "I'll see you there, Wagner."And hung up.

"Schiss."Kurt replaced the phone in its cradle and perched on the edge of his desk.His tail thrashed about madly.

He looked at his hand.The three thick fingers didn't look human… They didn't even look simian.He closed his eyes, placing a finger on the bridge of his nose, deciding.

_Bamf!_

**

"Jaa-aane."Kurt's voice was a husky whisper.Yellow eyes scanned the brick wall adorned with a "Pizza Café" sign.

_Bamf!_

"Jane!"His gaze swung like a laser across the back of the restaurant.He hissed her name again, inching backwards, further into the shadows.His attention was caught by a slender figure quietly turning the corner.It glanced around, raising its hands to its mouth."Kurt?"

"Here."

Jane jerked her head up at the sullen reply.Squinting, she could barely see the outline of her friend behind some bushes.She had to wrench her gaze away to stare intently at the shadowed ground as she walked.The whisper of her clothing was eerily similar to the sound a snake makes right before it strikes.

Kurt's entire body was tense, right down to his tail, sticking out stiffly behind him.The rate of his breathing increased subtly as she approached.

She squinted at him, clearly excited."So… Wh-what's your power?"A grin broke her usually solemn face.

Kurt was silent for a moment, then 'ported six feet to his left, still enshrouded by the lowering night.His heart hammered, and not just because of the 'port.

Jane gasped delightedly."That's _so cool!_You can… beam yourself up, or something!"She covered the distance between them with a few steps.Her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Kurt stood completely still.Her gaze raked him head to toe, her smile fading.She took him in quietly; the pointy ears, amber eyes.The moon glinted off his fangs, and her stare moved to his tridactyl hands, to the tail, and to the animalistic feet.

All covered with azure fur.

Her eyebrows drew together, her eyes widened, and her jaw slackened: an expression Kurt knew all to well.

Horror.

"Oh, God, what _are_ you?"She blurted out.


End file.
